Expandable mandrel



Original Filed Dec.

Sept. 4, 1962 nite Claims. (Cl. 242-465) This invention relates to an expandable mandrel for supporting a plurality of winding cores in end-to-end relationship and more particularly to such a mandrel having means for simultaneously gripping a plurality of winding cores which may have different internal diameters. The present application is a division of application Serial No. 553,305, filed December 15, 1955.

Various strand materials such as yarn are commonly packaged by winding around a hollow core or tube. It is not unusual to wind two or more strands simultaneously on individual cores which are mounted in end-to-end relationship on a common mandrel which is provided with means for gripping the cores so that they will turn with the mandrel. The cores used for winding yarn are generally formed of a very hard, dense paper or plastic material whereby the cores strictly limit the movement of the expansible gripping elements of the mandrel. If all cores to be used on a particular mandrel had the identical internal diameter it would be a relatively simple matter to design the mandrel so that the core gripping elements could be moved to the exact extent necessary to grip all the cores. However, as a practical matter, cores of a particular designated size in fact have internal, and external, diameters which are of somewhat different dimensions, particularly so when they are supplied by different manufacturers. Thus it is desirable for the gripping elements of the mandrel to be capable of moving more or less independently to the extent necessary to grip the particular core with which they are associated.

With the above in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide an expandable mandrel adapted to support a plurality of winding cores in end-to-end relationship in such a manner as to effect a secure driving connection with each core even when the cores have different internal diameters.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of a preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

Referring now to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the mandrel and showing a pair of winding cores positioned thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

A spindle rotatable from a suitable source of power, not shown, extends cantilever style from a supporting structure 11. Circular, flanged end members 12 and 13 are secured to spindle 10 and support the opposite ends of a sleeve 14 which forms the surface of the mandrel. A pair of locking pin supporting assemblies of identical construction and generally designated at 1211 and 121 are mounted internally of sleeve 14. As shown in FIGURE 2, the assembly 120 comprises a web 123 supporting a plurality, three in the present instance, of cylindrical housings 127. Housings 127 are equally spaced from one another and between the housings, web 123 has secured thereto fastening blocks 133. Headed screws 135 are screwed into fastening blocks 133 through aligned openings 136 provided in sleeve 14 and the heads of said screws in cooperation with said openings serve to retain the supporting rates atent assembly in the position shown in the drawing. Spring loaded locking pins 129 are mounted in housings 127 and the outer ends of said pins are adapted to be extended, as will presently be described, through aligned openings 137 in sleeve 14.

A pair of winding cores 22 and 24 are positioned endto-end on mandrel sleeve 14, being slipped thereon over the free end of the mandrel. Locking pins 129 of assembly 121) cooperate with core 2 2 and the locking pins of assembly 121 cooperate with core 24, the locking pins of both assemblies being shown in core locking position in FIGURE 1.

The lock and unlock position of the locking pins 129 for both the inboard and outboard support assemblies 121) and 121 are controlled by expanders or spiders 145 and 146 which are slidably positioned on the spindle 10 and are capable of moving axially along the spindle to contact the base end of the pins 129 to urge the pins outwardly through the openings 137 of sleeve 14. Spiders 145 and 146 are in the form of rings having axially extending fingers 147 which fit within openings (see FIGURE 2) provided in the webs 123 of the pin supporting assemblies 124) and 121. Fingers 147 have cam surfaces 147 which cooperate with the pins 129.

To control the movement of the expanders and 146 along the spindle 1t), there are provided a series of elements positioned slidably on the spindle which also move axially of the spindle. These elements include a compressible main spring 150 positioned over the spindle 10 between expander 145 and the sleeve support 13. Positioned beyond the opposite end of the outboard expander 145 and to the inboard side of the pin supporting assembly 121 is a short sleeve section which is adapted to be contacted by the axially extending fingers of the expander 145 as the expander moves under the base ends of the locking pins 125 to urge them into engagement with the outboard core 22. A longer sleeve section 157 abuts the shorter sleeve section and lies between the shorter sleeve section 155 and the inboard expander 146. The adjacent ends of the sleeve sections 155 and 157 are coupled together by spring coupling assembly 159.

After the cores 22 and 24 are positioned over the sleeve 14, the expander 145 is released from its locked position on the spindle It (as will be explained later) after which the main spring 150, which is already cocked or compressed, will urge the expander 145 inwardly of the spindle whereby the axially extending fingers of the expander will contact and urge the locking pins 129 housed in the outboard supporting assembly 121 upwardly into engagement with the inner surface of the outboard core 24. As the fingers 147 of expander 145 pass under the base ends of the locking pins 129, the ends thereof contact the shorter sleeve section 155 on the opposite side of the assembly 121 thereby moving the shorter sleeve section to the left or inwardly of the spindle 10. The spring 161 of the shaft coupling 159 is thereby compressed against a spacing ring 163 positioned around the longer sleeve section 157 which urges the longer sleeve 1:57 inwardly of the spindle 10 to contact and urge the inboard expander 146 against the base ends of the locking pins 129 of the inboard pin supporting assembly 120 to urge the lock pins outwardly against the inner surface of the inboard core 22 to firrrdy hold this core in place on the sleeve 14. The purpose of the spring coupling 159 is to permit the expanders 145, 146 and the pins of each assembly 121) and 121 to operate independently of one another. This feature is important since, as previously mentioned, the diameter of the cores usually varies a slight amount. With this arrangement, the outboard expander 145 may be moved inwardly of the spindle as far as is necessary to urge the locking pins into locking engagement with the outboard core 24. The spring coupling 159 also per- Inits the inboard expander 146 to move against the locking pins 129 of the inboard assembly 120 as far as is necessary to urge the locking pins into locking engagement with the inboard core 22.

The release mechanism for moving the expanders 145 and 1146 outwardly of the spindle to release the locking pins 129 from their lock position will now be described. As seen in FIGURE 1, a lever 170 is mounted to the supporting structure 11 adjacent the inboard end of the spindle 10. A release ring 172 is slidably positioned over the inboard end of the spindle 10' externally of the core supporting assembly. The ring 172 is connected with a collar 175 which is also slidably positioned on the spindle 10 at a point within the core supporting assembly but adjacent the inboard end thereof. A plurality of pins 176 secured to both the collar 175 and the rellease ring 172 connect these two elements. A spring 177 is positioned over each connecting pin 176 to lie between the collar 175 and a stop or positioning member 179 at the inboard end of the core supporting assembly. On the spindle and between the collar 175 and the inboard expander 146 lies a short sleeve section 179. To release the locking pins from their lock position, the lower end of release lever 170 is moved toward the outboard end of the spindle to contact the release ring 172 which also moves toward the outboard end of the spindle to urge in turn the collar 175, the short sleeve section 179, the inboard expander 146, the sleeve sections 157 and 155, the outboard expander 145 and the main spring 150 toward the outboard end of the spindle. As the outboard expander 145 moves to the right or outwardly of the spindle 10, a holding pin .185 positioned within a hole drilled through the spindle at right angles to the spindle axis is urged by a spring strip 136, positioned and anchored within a slot cut into the spindle, into an offset 186 in the outboard expander 145. With this arrangement, the expanders 145 and 146 remain out of contact with the locking pins 129' and the main spring 150 is maintained in cooked or compressed condition.

To release the expanders 145 and 146 from their unlocked position whereby the main spring 150 may urge the expanders toward the drive end of the spindle to move the locking pins 129 into lock position, the following release mechanism is provided. A release pin 190 is positioned within a bored hole 191 in the outboard end of the spindle 10 and a spring 192 is positioned around the release pin 190, the spring being confined within a counterbored section 193 of the channel at the extreme outboard end of the spindle. The end of the release pin 190 extending within the spindle channel is tapered as at 194-. As seen more clearly in FIGURE 3, the holding pin 185 is slotted transversely of its length and the bottom wall 196 of the slot is also tapered. To depress the lock pin 185 out of position within the offset 186 of the expander 145, the release pin 190 is pressed inwardly of the bored channel 191 whereby the tapered surface 194 of the release pin 190 Will move into contact with the tapered wall 196 of the slotted lock pin 185 to gradually depress the holding pin 185 out of the offset 186 of expander 145.

As soon as the end of the holding pin 185 is depressed out of the offset 186 of the expander 145, the cocked or compressed main spring 150 is released and urges, as explained before, the expanders 145 and 146 in addition to the release mechanism toward the inboard or drive end of the spindle whereby the locking pins 129 will again be urged into locking engagement with the yarn winding cores 22 and 24.

In devices for Winding yarn or other strands which are wound at high speed it is customary to provide what is known as a tailing guide to facilitate connection of the end of the strand to the core and the present mandrel is equipped with a tailing guide for each of the cores. The tailing guide for the inboard core is simply an element 26 fixedly secured to the sleeve support 12. The tailing guide for the outboard core 24 is generally indicated at 28 and is so arranged as to facilitate the placement and removal of the inboard core 22, as will now be described.

As seen in FIGURE 1, a slot 200 is cut through the sleeve 14 near the center thereof and a support block 202 is secured to the inner wall of the sleeve adjacent the out board edge of the slot 200. A spring strip 204 extends through the sleeve slot 200 and has a short leg 206 formed therein which lies above the sleeve 14 and constitutes the tailing guide for the outboard tube 24. A longer leg 208 is formed in the opposite end of the strip 204 and lies in a direction opposite to that of the short leg 206 whereby a neck section 210 is formed in the strip 204. Extending the length of and through the neck section of the strip 204 is a slot 212. To provide a springing action within the strip 204, a loop is formed in the longer leg 208 by doubling back the longer leg section of the strip 204. A short bend is incorporated in the extreme end of the doubled back or looped portion of the longer leg 208 to provide a short length section 214 which lies flush with the neck section 210. A screw 216 extends through the short length section 214 and the slot 212 of the neck section of the spring strip which screw is lodged in the support block 202. With this arrangement, the tailing guide or leg 206 may be depressed against the sleeve 14 when the operator applies pressure to the leg 206, the slotted neck portion sliding inwardly over the screw 216. The inboard tube 22 may then be moved into or out of position over the leg 206. When the pressure applied by the tube 22 is released (after the tube has passed over the leg 206), the leg 206 will return to its operative position ready for use with the outboard tube 24 when moved into position on the sleeve 14.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An expandable mandrel adapted to support a plurality of strand receiving cores in end-to-end relationship wherein said cores may have different internal diameters, comprising a rotatable shaft, a core receiving sleeve secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of core engaging means mounted on said sleeve and movable radially between retracted positions and core engaging positions, said core engaging means being spaced apant longitudinally of said sleeve whereby each of said means is adapted to engage a separate one of a plurality of cores positioned on said sleeve, :1 separate device mounted on said shaft for engaging each of said core engaging means and moving same to core engaging position, pressure applying means for moving an end one of said devices to position for causing its associated core engaging means to engage its core, and resilient pressure transmitting means located between said devices for transmitting the pressure applied to said end one of said devices to another of said devices whereby said devices are each operated to the extent necessary to move their associated core engaging means into holding relation with their respective cores, said devices moving in the same direction to operate their respective core engaging means.

2. An expandable mandrel adapted to support a plurality of strand receiving cores in end-to-end relationship wherein said cores may have different internal diameters comprising a rotatable shaft, a core receiving sleeve secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of core engaging means mounted on said sleeve and movable radially between retracted positions and core engaging positions, said core engaging means being spaced apart longitudinally of said sleeve whereby each of said means is adapted to engage a separate one of a plurality of cores positioned on said sleeve, a separate device mounted on said shaft for engaging each of said core engaging means and moving same to core engaging position, spring means for moving an end one of said devices to position for causing its associated core engaging means to engage its core, resilient pressure transmitting means located between said devices for transmitting the pressure applied by said spring means to said end one of said devices to another of said devices whereby said devices are each operated only to the extent necessary to move their associated core engaging means into holding relation with their respective cores, latch means for holding said spring means in a compressed condition, and manually operable means for releasing said latch means.

3. An expandable mandrel adapted to support a plurality of strand receiving cores in end-to-end relationship wherein said cores may have different internal diameters, comprising a rotatable shaft, a core supporting sleeve secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of sets of core engaging pins mounted on said sleeve internally thereof, said sets of pins being spaced longitudinally of said sleeve whereby each set may cooperate with a separate core, resilient means urging said pins to inactive positions internally of said sleeve, openings in said sleeve through which said pins are adapted to be projected to engage the cores, camming means mounted on said shaft for cooperating with each set of pins and projecting same to core engaging position, pressure applying means for moving an end one of said camming means to pin projecting position, and resilient means between said end one of said camming means and the camming means next in line thereto for transmitting pressure from the one to the other whereby the different camming means may be moved to different extents by said pressure applying means to project the respective sets of pins to different extents as may be required by different diameter cores.

4. An expandable mandrel adapted to support a plurality of strand receiving cores in end-to-end relationship wherein said cores may have different internal diameters, comprising a rotatable shaft, a core supporting sleeve secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of sets of core engaging pins mounted on said sleeve internally thereof, said sets of pins being spaced longitudinally of said sleeve whereby each set may cooperate with a separate core, resilient means urging said pins to inactive positions internally of said sleeve, openings in said sleeve through which said pins are adapted to be projected to engage the cores, camming means slidably mounted on said shaft for cooperating with each set of pins and projecting same to core engaging position,

pressure applying means for moving an end one of said camming means to pin projecting position, locking means for locking said pressure applying means in an inactive condition, manually operable means for releasing said locking means, and resilient means between said end one of said carnming means and the camming means next in line thereto for transmitting pressure from the one to the other whereby the different camming means may be moved to different extents by said pressure applying means to project the respective sets of pins to different extents as may be required by different diameter cores.

5. An expandable mandrel adapted to support a plurality of strand receiving cores in end-to-end relationship wherein said cores may have different internal diameters comprising a rotatable shaft, a core supporting sleeve secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of sets of core engaging pins mounted on said sleeve internally thereof, said sets of pins being spaced longitudinally of said sleeve whereby each set may cooperate with a separate core, resilient means urging said pins to inactive positions internally of said sleeve, openings in said sleeve through which said pins are adapted to be projected to engage the cores, camming means slidably mounted on said shaft for cooperating with each set of pins and projecting same to core engaging position, spring means for moving an end one of said camming means to pin projecting position, resilient means between said end one of said camrning means and the camming means next in line thereto for transmitting pressure from the one to the other whereby the different Carnming means may be moved to different extents by said spring means to project the respective sets of pins to different extents, means for moving said camming means to inactive position, latching means for preventing operation of said spring means, and manually operable means for releasing said latching means.

Hoberg July 25, 1916 Bruestle Mar. 29, 1955 

